Resources for Leaders & Change Practitioners
These resources for leaders and change practitioners are samplings of what the staff Center for Human Systems has learned over the 5o years in their roles as leaders, educators, human resources directors, and organization development consultants.
Publications
The Infinite Organization: Celebrating the Positive Use of Power in Organizations (click to purchase)
Contrary to the popular notion that power is held by a select few, this book forges a path from personal to organizational power, showing how power is unlimited when you partner and learn from others. Highly praised by Charles Seashore, faculty, Fielding Graduate Institute; Edith Seashore, organization consultant; John Flavin, President, Grosvenor Atlantic Limited; and George Gowans, Chief Engineer (retired), U.S. National Park Service.
Broom envisions organizations in which power is an abundant and unlimited commodity that is shared by all employees. — The Business Reader Review, October 2002.
Highly readable. An excellent book that brings together the necessary concepts for the benefit of people and organizations. — Executive Update, March 2003.
Organizations can reap many long-term benefits from encouraging employees to work intelligently together. — Incentive Magazine, November 2002.
Power and struggle don’t have to go hand-in-hand.The infinite perspective sees no value in determining winners or losers. —HR Magazine, June 2003.
Power, The Infinite Game
A practical book on how to empower yourself and others, influence others, and achieve your personal and professional objectives in ways that are satisfying and productive for all. The book shows how to increase self-confidence and self-reliance; pursue challenging personal and organizational goals; direct your intellectual, emotional, and physical energies in knowing and effective ways; and resolve disagreements more effectively.
Even more than Wheatley, Kanter, and Senge, these authors challenge you to radically alter your view of yourself, the world in which you live and work, and your way of exerting influence in that world. This simply written, incredibly inspiring, and intelligently informative book presents the basics of what you need to know to live a truly win-win personal and professional life.
The Secret Sauce for Making Teams Work: The Mystery, Magic, and Management of Human Systems (almost finished)
A complete description of the technology of organization development, the most powerful for managing change in teams and organizations.
From Chapter One: We all live and work in human systems. With the rare exception of the occasional hermit who lives entirely off the land with no contact with other human beings, we exist always in sets of relationships with other human beings. Those sets of relationships are human systems, and they are at the core of all human endeavors. The most important human systems is the small group. Cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead said it very well, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Regardless, we in Western society behave as if individuals are the fundamental units of human society. The small group is the actual fundamental unit. A small group of interrelated people (who are systems themselves), be it a work team, family, church group, board of directors, or a group of friends, is the epitome of human systems. They interact with other small groups, making up the interrelated human systems we call organizations, extended families, political organizations, or communities. These interrelated sets of human systems make up the systems we call societies and nations. Yet, we continue to act as if individuals are the pinnacle of human society. Imagine the magic if we were to learn how to see, understand, and manage our human systems!
Peruse these resources for leaders & change practitioners at your leisure.